Ironing-machine.



Patented Mar. 26, l90l. E. G. SMITH. 'momma MAcmnE. ('Appl'immn' nud my s. 1900.)

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No. 670,567. Patented Mar. 26, I90I.

E. G. SMITH. 'IBDNING MACHINE.

(Application mea may e. 1900. (No Model.)l 3,Sheets-Sheet 3.

Illllllllllllll iiilill" UNiTnD STATESv 'PATENT Genion.,

ERNST G.' SMITH, OF COLUMBIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IRONINC-IVIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 670,567, dated 'March 26, 1901;

Application filed May 8, 1900. b'eral N0- v155917. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

e it known that I, ERNST G. SMITH, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Columbia, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Ironing-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ironing-machines, and particularly to that class employed for ironing shirt-bosoms and in which the shirt or other article being ironed is moved back and forth beneath a heated roller, though the improved machine could be equally well used at times for ironing collars and cuffs or other articles. It is necessary in a machine of this character that the yironing-board drop away from the ironing-roll and that the board return quickly to the operator after contact or close ironing engagement with the said roll; and with this end in view the invention consists, primarily, in mounting the ironingboard on a standard carried or held by a friction-carriage and operably disposed over a driving-drum which continuously rotates in a forward direction and a return-roll back of the driving-roll which revolves in a reverse di rection considerably faster than the latter in order to bring` the carriage and ironing-board to the front of the machine atna much faster rate of speed, the driving-roll being mounted in bearings fixed on an adjustable frame to cause the frame carrying the ironing-board to be brought into contact with the said return-roll and on the return movement clear the driving-roll. Y

The invention further consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements contributing individually and col lectively to the success of the operation sought by rendering the actuation of the essential instrumentalities positive and eiective and which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed and subject to a Wide range of modification within the purview of the invention. Y

In the drawings, Figure l is a central longitudinal vertical section of an ironing-machine embodying the features of the invention. parts in a different position. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the machine through the plane of the ironing-roll. Fig. 4

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the is a plan view of the clutch mechanism for co'ntrolling the speed of the ironing-roll and the ironing-board. Fig. 5 is av sectional end elevation of the bed-frame and part of the main frame, showing the manner of supporting said bed-frame. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a portion of the adjusting mechanism for the driving-roll. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing a portion of the adjusting mechanism for the return-roll. Fig. 8 is a transverse Vertical section of a portion of the means for adjusting the return-roll and showing a part of the roll and gear therefor.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several Views.

The numeral 1 designates a frame having side members 2, which are connected by transverse braces, and ties located at suitable points to strengthen the same, and in the upper front portion of the frame is atransverse l tie-har 3, having a central screw-bearing 4, in which an adjusting-screw 5 is mounted, and has its lower extremity provided with a hand-wheel or analogous device 6, and an upperswivel-head 7,free1y movable in the center of afrontcross-bar 8 of an adjustable bedframe 9 of skeleton form and disposed between the upper portions of the sides 2 of the main frame. The said bed-frame 9 comprises opposite side rails or guides l0, preferably of L shape, and connected thereto are front and rear pairs of friction-rollers 11, which extend above the plane of the upper surfaces of the horizontal members of the rails or guides. The greater portion of the said bed-frame is entirely open for operation therethrough of mechanism which will be more fully hereinafter described, and at the rear extremity thereof a fulcrum-bar l2 is located and has a central depending socket 13 to loosely receive an upstanding post 14: at the center of a transverse bar l5 at the rear upper portion of the main frame. To make the'rear end of the bed-frame 9 have an upwardly-moving tendency, springs 16 are interposed between the under sides of the opposite rails or guides 10 and the transverse bar 15, said springs having their lower portions seated in pockets 17 in the latter bar, as clearlyshown by Fig. 5, to cause them to maintain their proper position relatively to the rails or IOO guides. The under rear portion of the frame 9 has the upper end of adjusting-levers 1S pivot-ally attached thereto, which levers are connected at their lowerends to atransverse pivot-bar 19, from which a connecting-rod 20 horizontally extends forward to anotherpivotbar 21, the latter also having arms 22 running therefrom downwardly to a treadle-har 23, having a forwardly-projecting treadle 24. From the pivot-bar 19 arms 25 also extend downwardly to fixed bearing devices 25, and to cause this system of levers and correlativo operating devices to return to normal position and automatically lower the frame 9, when permitted to do so, a spring 26 is secured at its opposite ends respectively to the front portion of the connecting-rod 2O and a cross-bar 27 of the said frame, and it will be understood that when foot or other pressure is relieved from the treadle 24 the said spring will draw the parts into the position shown by Fig. l.

Depending from opposite sides of the bedframe 9 and having about a central location relatively to said frame are bearing-hangers 2S, which are each provided with a slot 29, and therein are mounted vertically-slidable bearings 30 for the shaft 31 of the drivingroll 32. The hangers, and consequently the shaft 31 and driving-roll 32, are simultaneously movable with the bed-frame, and the bearings 30 have oppositely-extending pairs of slide-ears 33, movable on the sides of the hangers 28, and engaging the upperand lower central portions of the said bearings are adjusting-screws 34 and 35, the former having bearings in the lower ends of the hangers and supplied with suitable jam-nuts 36, and the latter having their heads bearing against the top wall of the slots of the hangers and also provided with jam-nuts 37. By meansof the adjustable bearings set forth it will be Seen that the driving-roll and its shaft may be adjusted ina Vertical direction to compensate for wear of the parts or the thickness of the article carried by the ironing-board above, and thereby maintain the desired pressure between the said board and the ironing-roll.

In advance of the driving-roll 32 is a returnroll 3S, having opposite portions of its shaft 39 rotatably fitted in sliding bearings 40, located in bearing-hangers 41 and controlled in their adjustment by screws 42. The said hangers 41 are pivotally connected to the upper inner parts of the sides 2 of the lnain frame, and in oppositely-extending lugs 43 at the upper extremity of each hanger 41 adjusting or set screws 44 have bearing. The heads of these screws 44 contact with the under edges 0i the upper parts of the sides, and by operating the screws to feed down into or upward Vfrom the lugs 43 different distances i relatively to the opposite pairs of lugs therefor it is obvious that the hangers may be held at any angle desired, as shown by Fig. 7, and to correspond to the inclination of the bed-'frame or other closely-related parts of the machine, and, moreover, the adjustment of the bearings 40 will permit obtaining an initial vertical adjustment proportionate to that of the driving-roll. The driving-roll is supplied with a spur-gear 45, which is `fixed to one extremity of the shaft 31 and meshes with the pinion 46 on the shaft 39, the latter shaft being the driving-sl'iaft of the machine and extending outwardly a considerable distance from one side of the machine and has fixed thereon apulley 47 and a sprocket-wheel 48, which is of materially larger diameter than the said pulley. It will now be obviously apparent that the adjustable bearings 40 in the hangers 4l, in which the said shaft 39 has bearing, will provide means for tightening or loosening the operating devices for the pulley 47 and sprocketvheel 48, and the pivotal connection of said hangers will be essential in causing an accurate mesh of the gearing of the two rolls or aiord means for disengaging said gearing in addition to the other advantages heretofore noted.

A freely-sliding frame or carriage 49 works on the bed-frame 9 and is controlled in its opposite movements by the driving and return rolls, the said frame 49 having upstanding sides 51, extending from the front end almost completely to the rear end, sufficient distance being left clear at the rear end of said latter frame forV convenient application of other mechanism. A standard 52 rises from the center of the bottom of the frame 49 and supports an ironing-board 53, which is provided with a suitable top covering or padding, as usual, and has its working surface elevated above the plane of the upper edges of the sides 5l. The upper portion of the rear end of the said board is formed with a recess 54 to receive the forwardly-projecting free extremity of an arm 55, having its lower end fulcrumed between ears 56, fast to the bottom of the frame 49. The said free extremity of the arm is bent at an angle to assure a snug fitting with the recessed rear end of the ironing-board when applied, and to the arm below said extremity the rear angnlarly bent end 57 of a connecting-rod 5S is pivotally secured and has its front end also pivotally attached to a crank-arm 59, extending from a shaft 60, rotatably mounted in bearing-ears 61 ,and to said shaft aweighted operating-lever 62 is also secured. After a shirt or other device has been properly spread and smoothed out on the ironing-board the arm will be adjusted, as shown in full linesin Fig. l, and will retain such adjustment by reason of the resistance set up against accidental disengagement by the weighted lever 62. To clear the recess 54, the operating-lever 62 is elevated, as shown in dotted lines, and the arm is thrown forwardfree of said recess. The bottom or bed of the frame 49 has bearing on the rollers 11 and also engages with the driving and return rolls, as will be more fully hereinafter explained, and secured on the said bottom or bed in advance of the rear ends of the sides TOO IIO

lley 82 and a loose directed upwardly at an angle to form seats 64 for holding starting-rails 65, having horizontal bodies 66, with front upturned terminals 67 in the arcs of circles. rl`he said-start ing-rails coact with antifriciional rollers G8, adjustably carried' by arms 69, pivotally applied to the upper inner port-ions of the sides 2 of the main frame above the plane of the said rails and having adjusting-screws 70 bearing thereon and seated in lugs 71, also on adjacent portions of the sides 2, to therebyprovide -means for drawing or starting the ironing-board up to'and under the ironing or heated roll and to have sai'd startingmovement regulable in accordance with the article held on the ironing-board and to compensate proport-ionately for other adjustments that may be made in the parts below.

The upper portions of the sides 2 of the main frame have vertical uprights 72 at the center thereof, on which bearings 73 are arranged to receive the oppositely-extending portions of the tubular shaft 74 of the hollow ironing-roll 75, which is located centrally over the plane of movement of the ironing-board and always hasa fixed plane of rotation. One end of the said shaft 74 has a nipple 76 secured thereover, and through the same a fuelpipe 77 extends and projects into the roll 75 and is also supplied with suitable valved feeders 78, 79, and 80, the feeders 78 and 80 conveying air and the feeder 79 gas to the said pipe. It will be understood that the combined air and gas is ignited in the ironingroll to properly heat the same, and this being a well-known means of heating ironingrolls in machinery of this type further eX- planation is deemed unnecessary. The said shaft 74 also has collars or circumferential shoulders 81 thereon, which abut against the bearings 7 3 to prevent lateral movement of the same, and from one side of the machine the shaft is extended to receive a loose puldrive-wheel 83, which are spaced apart and have a clutch-head 84, splined on the shaft between them and provided with sockets 85 in the opposite faces tocoincide and interlock with studs 86 and 87, respectively projecting from the inner ends of thehubs of the pulley 82 and drive-wheel 83. A belt 88 engages the pulley 82 and the pulley 47 on the driving-shaft 39, and connected to or forming a part of the hub of the drive-wheel 83 isa sm all sprocket-rim 8.9,which is surrounded by a chain belt 90 to connect the same with the sprocketwheel 48 below. The clutchhead 84 is operated by a shifting lever 91,

fulcrumed ou a supporting-plate 92, extend-4 ing outwardly from one side of the machineframe within convenient reaching distance of the operator, and to lock said shifting lever in its adjusted positions it has a movable pin actuated by an auxiliary lever 93 to enter openings in said supporting-plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. This mechanism for drivally varied ing the machine is capable of being materiwithin the skill of the mechanic and to derive the best results or to make the machine applicable for different kinds or special work, and it will be seen that when the clutch-head connects the shaft74 with one set of driving devices a rapid movement of both the ironing-board and ironing-roll will result, that when the other driving devices are connected the driving-roll will move at the same speed, but theI movement of the ironing-roll will be slower, and that when the clutch-head is adjusted to a point intermediate'of the two hubs and out of engagement with the studs 86 and 87 the ironing-roll will not be rotated by the driving mechanism; but

in this adjustment of the clutch-head the drivi ing-roll will still be driven at the same speed as in the two before-mentioned adjustments of the driving devices. The drive-wheel 83 is actuated by a belt (not shown) from any suitable source of power, and the feeders 78,

79, and may extend for a distance from the machine or run to a common supply for a number of the machines.

In operation the shirt to be ironed, for instance, is arranged on the ironing-board by the operator and clamped at the neckband end by the arm, it being understood' that during such disposition ot' the shirt the ironing-board will occupy the position shown by Fig. l. The operator next presses downwardly on the treadle 24 and through the IOO mechanism set forth raises the forward extremity of the bed-frame 9V and thedrivingroll 32. The driving-roll will now be in contact with the under side of thebottoin of the sliding frame 49, and as the driving mechanism will have heen connected up as desired or to obtain the necessary speed the said sliding frame will begin to move forward. Previous to the full operaliorrof the said sliding frame the starting-rails 'will be in contact with the rollers 68 at the, time the frame 9 and driving-roll 32.are elevated by the treadle 24, and the front extremities of said rails being in the arcs of circles will cause the frame 49 and the ironing-board carried thereby to be drawn under the ironing-roll in an automatic manner, and the preliminary adjustment will be such that the distancebetween the drivingroll and theironing-roll will cause the said latter roll to bear on the shirt with sufficient pressure to produce the kind of unish desired and thoroughly iron the bosom. This degree of pressure, as before explained, can be regulated at will and in a very simple and positive manner. The driving-roll will now frictioually feed the frame 49 forward until the ironing-board, or the shirtbosom at least, has passed under the ironingroll, and during said operation the bottom of the frame 49 will move over and in contact with the front pair of-rolls ll.

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At this time ment of the frame 49 and ironing-board thereon has been reached the operator relieves the treadle 2st of pressure and the frame 9 and driving-roll are automatically lowered by,` the spring 26, and the said frame 49 then contacts with the return-roll 38, which now stands above the plane of the driving-roll, and while also contacting with the rear rolls ll and the said return-roll the frame 49 is rapidly returned to the front of the machine out of contact with the driving-roll, as will be obvious. In the return movement the ironing-board and the shirt-bosom are clear of the ironing-roll, and as many successive operations of this character may be carried on with the same shirt-bosom as are necessary to effectively complete the ironing of the same or in accordance with the finish desired.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved machine is complete as to the adjustment of the several parts, and theirsimple manipulation makes the machine convenient for control by a single operator. The operating belts and wheels set forth may be easily replaced by well-known forms of intermeshing cog-gearing, and the material of which the several parts are formed will be that best adapted to serve the purpose and facilitate keeping the machine clean and avoid injury to the articles ironed thereby. Other changes in the form, size, proportions, and minor details may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention.

Having Thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll, a reciprocating ironingboard having avertical adjustable movement to and from the said roll, shiftable means for supporting said board, independent driving and return rolls for direct contact With opposite extremities of said means, and mechanism for operating the several parts.

2. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll having a fixed plane of rotation, a supporting device having an ironing-board, means for adjusting the said support in a vertical direction to and from the ironing-roll, a driving-roll adjustable with said means and operating to move the supporting device forwardly, a return-roll for automatically moving the supporting device to the front of the machine, and means for operating the several parts.

3. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll, a reciprocating ironingboard having an adjustable movement to and from the said roll in a vertical direction, a driving-roll for moving the ironing-board forwardly and having a vertical adjustment, and a return-roll rotatable in a direction opposite tothe driving-roll for returning the said ironing-board at the end of its forward stroke or movement said driving and return rolls being independent and of different dimensions.

et. In an ironing-machine, the combination evoev of an ironing-roll, a reciprocable ironingboard having an adjustable movement to and from the said roll, a driving-roll for moving the ironing-board forwardly, and a returnroll rotatable in a direction opposite to the driving-roll and operating to shift the ironing-board back to the front of the machine at the end of the forward movement of said board said driving and return rolls being independent and of' diiferent dimensions.

5. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll, a carriage having an ironing-board thereon, a vertically-adjustable driving-roll to frictionally engage said carriage, and a return-roll to frictionally engage said carriage after the latter is clear of the driving-roll said driving and return rolls being independent and of different dimensions.

6. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll, a carriage having an ironing-board thereon, a vertically-adjustable bed-frame over which said carriage moves, a driving-roll carried by and adjustable with said bed-frame, and a return-roll independent of the said frame to engage the carriage at the end of the forward movement of the latter said driving and return rolls being i11- dependent and of different dimensions.

7. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll, a carriage having an ironing-board thereon, a vertically-adjustable bed-frame over which said carriage moves, a spring-actuated treadle-and-lever mechanism for controlling the movements of said bedframe, a driving-roll carried by and adjustable with the said frame, and a return-roll independent of said frame to engage the carriage at the end of the forward movement of the latter said driving and return rolls being independent and of dierent dimensions.

8. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll, a carriage having an ironing-board thereon, a vertically-adjustable bed-frame over which said carriage moves, the said frame having front and rear pairs of friction-rolls, means for cont-rolling the movements of said frame, a driving-roll carried by and adjustable with the frame, and a returnroll independent of said frame to engage the carriage at the end of the forward movement of the latter.

9. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll, a carriage having an ironing-board thereon, means for adjusting the carriage to vary its elevation at the beginning of its forward movement and the completion of the latter, a driving-roll also vertically shiftable with said means, and a return-roll to engage the carriage at the end of its forward stroke or movement said driving and return rolls being independent and of different dimensions.

l0. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironingroll, a reciprocable ironingboard, a vertically-movable driving-roll for the said board having adjustable bearings,

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and a return-roll adjustable to move in the arc of a circle and also supported by adjustable bearings.

11. In anironing-machine, the combination of an ironing roll, a reciprocable ironingboard, a vertically-movable driving-roll for the said board, a return-roll for the board, and

gearing primarily operated by the return-roll' to actuate the driving-roll in an opposite direction said driving and return rolls being independent and of different dimensions.

12. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll having a fixed plane of rotation, a support having an ironing-board thereon, independent rotatable devices to en gage the under portion of the opposite eX- tremities of said ironing-support, startingrails movable with the said support, rollers to engage the said rails, and means for operating the several parts.

13. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing roll, a reciprocable ironingboard arranged below the said ironing-roll, a driving-roll for the board, a return-roll for the same, driving mechanism for the said parts, and a clutch shiftable to change the speed of the ironing-roll and ironing-board relatively to each other.

14. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll, an ironing-board having a reciprocating movement, independent driving and return rolls for the said board, and means for varying the speed of the ironing and driving rolls relatively to each other to produce different kinds of finishes on the article ironed.

15. In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll, an ironing-board having a reciprocating movement under the roll, start ing-rails on opposite sides of and movable with the board and having front upwardlycurved ends, and means for engaging said rails.

16.' In an ironing-machine, the combination of an ironing-roll, an ironing-board having a reciprocating movement under the roll, starting-rails movable with the ironing-board, and adjustable rollers to engage the said rails.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNST G. SMITH.

Witnesses:

C. W. BENDER, CHARLES EDWIN HERR. 

